John Sperling

Lieutenant John Sperling (1793–1877) was an English military engineer of the Corps of Royal Engineers, Board of Ordnance.

Life

Origins John Sperling, son of Henry Piper Sperling of Park Place, Henley-on-Thames, and afterwards of Norbury Park, Surrey, by Sarah Ann, his wife (died 28 May 1850), daughter of Henry Grace of Tottenham, Middlesex, was born at Tottenham on 4 November 1793. After passing through the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, and spending some time in the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain, Sperling received a commission as second lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 14 December 1811. He joined his corps at Chatham in March 1812, and was promoted to be first lieutenant on 1 July 1812.

War of the Sixth Coalition In December 1813 Sperling embarked at Ramsgate with the expedition under Sir Thomas Graham (afterwards Lord Lynedoch), to assist the Dutch against the French, whose garrisons had been recently much reduced in strength. He was one of nine officers of Royal Engineers under the Commanding Royal Engineer Lieutenant-colonel (afterwards Lieutenant-general Sir) James Carmichael Smyth. They landed at Williamstadt on 18 December. On 31 December Sperling was at Staandaarhuyten making a bridge of boats, and in the early part of January 1814 he restored a tête-de-pont which protected the passage of the river. On 11 January 1814 Sperling, with his sappers, was attached to a column sent to assist the Prussians in dislodging the French from Hoogstraaten.

On 23 March Sperling was appointed adjutant and quartermaster of the sappers and miners, and he accordingly joined headquarters at Calmthout. But on 11 April news arrived of the entrance of the allies into Paris, and of the change of government, upon which hostilities at once ceased.

Peacetime operations Sperling moved with army headquarters to St. Graven Wesel on 18 April, and during May was employed in preparations for taking possession of the fortresses assigned to British occupation by the convention. He also visited all the Scheldt defences. As soon as Antwerp was handed over, British headquarters were moved thither. On 7 June Sperling was sent to London to lay before the board of ordnance plans and reports of the fortresses. He returned to Antwerp on 8 July. In August he made a survey and plan of Liège citadel for Lord Lynedoch, who was vacating the command, the Prince of Orange succeeding him. On 10 September he removed with headquarters to Brussels, and in October reconnoitred ground which the Prince of Orange considered a good position for an army in advance of Brussels. He resided first at Great Doods, near Reigate, Surrey, and afterwards in a house which he built for himself in Palace Gardens, Kensington, London. He died at Kensington on 13 February 1877.

Legacy Sperling married, on 12 March 1819, Harriet Hanson, by whom he had an only son, John (1825–1894).

Sperling was the author of Letters of an Officer of the Corps of Royal Engineers, from the British Army in Holland, Belgium, and France, to his Father, from the latter end of 1813 to 1816, 12mo, London, 1872. These pleasantly written letters contain a detailed diary of his life during an interesting period.